Handling your dog’s fear of thunder

It’s raining! After a long Texas drought, it’s so wonderful to see the rain and hear the thunder here in San Antonio.

But for my dog Maggie, who is afraid of thunder and loud raindrops, this is a stressful day. Maggie turns into a Mountain Goat when thunder rumbles across the sky. She tries to scramble up to higher ground, climbing up couches, chairs, or my legs to get to the next level of furniture. I have spent the better part of the morning with her draped across my legs, holding out on giving her anxiety medication because I keep thinking the thunder will pass and I don’t want her sleepy for the rest of the day.

Maggie is not unusual. Many dogs are afraid of thunder or loud noises. These fears often develop even though a dog has had no traumatic experience linked to the sounds. She wasn’t always this way. In fact, she didn’t seem to develop her fears until she was about 18 months old. As a puppy, she seemed fine with storms and even didn’t mind romping out in the rain to relieve herself. But one day, the switch flipped and Maggie became one of those many dogs who shake and tremble at the sound of a storm.

There are a few things you can do to help dogs with their thunder fears.

1. Give your dog a safe place to be. This won’t work for all dogs. Some dogs like to keep moving when they are anxious or scared. But some dogs will appreciate a place to hide, like a bathroom, a kennel, or in my Maggie’s case, a dark hole under my work desk. Never force a dog though to be in a kennel or special place if they don’t want to be. This will only make matters worse.

2. Distract your dog. Play with your dog, give them a bath, or groom them, if that works. Some dogs are not so easily distracted though and you may need to muffle the thunder with noise from a fan or a radio, both of which are running right now in my house to distract Maggie from the thunder.

3. Natural methods. I will often dab a little lavendar on her nose or give her a few drops of Rescue Remedy, an anxiety tincture found at health food stores, in order to take the edge off. This is what I have done this morning and Maggie is now laying beside me — still not thrilled at the thunder outside, but more relaxed about it.

4. Anxiety medications. If your dog can’t stop trembling or panting, you may need to talk to your veterinarian about anxiety medications. These medications work for some dogs, but not all, so you will have to work with your vet on this to see how best to treat your dog.

5. Don’t punish. Don’t soothe. Never punish your dog for being afraid. That only makes matters worse. But also don’t go overboard in trying to soothe your dog as that only reinforces the behavior. Instead, behave normally and act as if you don’t hear the thunder.

About the Author

Cathy M. Rosenthal has more than 25 years of experience in public relations, communications and humane education in the animal welfare field. She has worked for local humane societies and national humane groups, appearing on hundreds of television and radio news and public affairs programs to address animal issues. She currently is a consultant for local and national animal welfare organizations, writing grants, annual reports and other marketing materials. She is also the author of several children's books about animals.